owmen. It may cost a score of men, and what profit shall I have
from it? Had I bombards, I might place them on yonder hill, but having
none it is of little use to me."

"It may be," said Nigel, "that they have scant food or water, and so
must come forth to fight us."

"I have made inquiry of the peasants," Knolles answered, "and they are
of one mind that there is a well within the castle, and good store of
food. Nay, gentlemen, there is no way before us save to take it by arms,
and no spot where we can attempt it save through the great gate. Soon we
will have so many fagots that we can cast them down into the ditch, and
so win our way across. I have ordered them to cut a pine-tree on the
hill and shear the branches so that we may beat down the gate with it.
But what is now amiss, and why do they run forward to the castle?"

A buzz had risen from the soldiers in the camp, and they all crowded in
one direction, rushing toward the castle wall. The knights and squires
rode after them, and when in view of the main gate, the cause of the
disturbance lay before them. On the tower above the portal three men
were standing in the garb of English archers, ropes round their necks
and their hands bound behind them. Their comrades surged below them with
cries of recognition and of pity.

"It is Ambrose!" cried one. "Surely it is Ambrose of Ingleton."

"Yes, in truth, I see his yellow hair. And the other, him with the
beard, it is Lockwood of Skipton. Alas for his wife who keeps the booth
by the bridge-head of Ribble! I wot not who the third may be."

"It is little Johnny Alspaye, the youngest man in the company," cried
old Wat, with the tears running down his cheeks, "'Twas I who brought
him from his home. Alas! Alas! Foul fare the day that ever I coaxed him
from his mother's side that he might perish in a far land."

There was a sudden flourish of a trumpet and the drawbridge fell. Across
it strode a portly man with a faded herald's coat. He halted warily upon
the farther side and his voice boomed like a drum. "I would speak with
your leader." he cried.

Knolles rode forward.

"Have I your knightly word that I may advance unscathed with all
courteous entreaty as befits a herald?"

Knolles nodded his head.

The man came slowly and pompously forward. "I am the messenger and liege
servant," said he, "of the high baron, Oliver de St. Yvon, Lord of La
Brohiniere. He bids me to say that if you continue your journey and
molest